Friday, May 31, 2019

I have been listening to NPR again....


This is a picture of Caster Semenya.  She is identified as intersex and has participated in Track and Field and recently set a world record of 1.54 in the 800 meter race.  

The world track and field people recently changed testosterone testing and she is objecting legally.  Apparently this body want her to take testosterone to slow her down because she had an unfair advantage.  

Caster is physically identified as having XY chromosome, internal testes and does indeed perform at higher level. According to Wikipedia there are 46 combinations of an intersex person, which I find mind boggling.  The ratio is about 1 in every 3000 people is intersex.  As an aside that means GBTPQ+ just added at least one new category to the rainbow.  

Wikipedia also says that the following records are the current record holders excluding Ms. Semenya.


800 metres
Athletics 800 metres
WorldDavid Rudisha 1:40.91 (2012)
OlympicDavid Rudisha 1:40.91 (2012)
Women's records
WorldJarmila Kratochvílová 1:53.28 (1983)
There is an awful lot of hoo hoo over this. Why not HANDICAP her?

There is some sports handicapping for croquet, golf, horse racing etc.  Lemme see is there is anything for Track and Field?  Oh, they actually handicap by age and weight.  Huh!

May I suggest a serious study to expand handicapping of Track and Field.  For instance  Get the world records for male javelin, hammer throws.  For instance assign the intersex javelin competitor  will have so many yards removed on the best throw.  Or the hammer throw person has a similar distance handicap.  Who ever has thrown the farthest as current male world record holder will be used to measure the handicap for the intersex athlete.

Therefore Caster Semenya's results should be compared with David Rudisha's 1.40 800m to her 1.54 and add 14 seconds to her time with an asterisk.  Problem solved.  Get ready! Get set! Go!!

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